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Setu Bandha Asana (Bridge Pose)

Step 1:Lie down on your back; your hands are resting by the side of your body; bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.

Step 2: Adjust your lower back by pushing your hips down towards your heels; your lower back should be completely on the floor without any gap or arch. Exhale, tuck your abdomen in, pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, push your tailbone upward toward the pubis.

Step 3: Firming your hips, lift the hips off the floor; keep your thighs and inner feet parallel to the floor; raise your hips until the thighs are about parallel to the floor; keep your knees directly over the heels, but push them forward, away from the hips, and lengthen the tailbone toward the back of the knees.

Step 4: your abdomen is flat and in towards your spine; keep raising your contracted hips and upper back up so that chest starts coming close to your chin. Stay in the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute with normal breathing.

Step 5: Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor. Repeat thrice.

This asana stretches your chest, neck, spine and hips. It also strengthens your back and hamstrings. Because this is increased blood flow to your brain, it has a calming effect on your brain while helps reduce stress.

Contraindications

Avoid in case of acute backache and neck ache as well as acute pain at knee joints